Freedom

Jesus Christ is Risen Today - Alleluia!!  How I miss sitting in church singing that song to the rafters this morning (oh don't you worry, my home rafters are hearing it!).  Easter has so many wonderful memories for me - from my childhood enjoying Easter at my Grandma's house outside of Pittsburgh, PA to memories of today, with the children (albeit in their 20's), opening baskets and hunting for eggs.  

Yet, it is what Easter truly means that has always led me to have joy in my heart - Jesus rose!  He went to the cross with my sin on His back, filled with darkness and despair, and rose from the tomb and freed not only Himself, but me, from my dark sins into a life of light.  He freed me from hopelessness to hope.  He freed me from guilt to repentance.  He freed me from despair to joy.  He freed me from shame to grace.  He freed not only himself from the shackles of death, but He freed me to have a life with him in our everlasting home.

Being free has many interpretations.  There is mental freedom (free from thoughts that challenge our well being).  There is freedom of the soul (the drain that our sins from the past can bring to us).  There is physical freedom (many of us may be feeling that these days as we are confined to our homes).  There are so many ways we can look at freedom.  Each and every one of you can bring your own thoughts and feelings to this subject.  

Whatever your situation is today, whatever freedoms you believe you don't have, rest assured our Christ has provided for you - freedom.  Freedom from overwhelming thoughts.  Freedom from soul-filled pain.  Freedom of connection through so many other facets other than physical means.  Freedom from darkness into the light.  What Jesus has done for us far outweighs the chains we may be feeling.  Look back upon your life.  We have all had many difficult and trying seasons in our lives.  Seasons of physical pain, seasons of despair, seasons of grief, seasons of hurt.  Look at each one and know that we are on the other side of those seasons because of Jesus - he guided us out of the chains which bound us to the freedoms we enjoy today.  

Jesus is here with us - in sickness, in death, and in health.  He is with us these days that are unprecedented.  He is with us, reminding us, of the real joys He has given us.  The joys of our families.  The joys of the material items that we truly need versus the riches we may want.  The joys of helping others who are in need.  It may be hard to see, but our Lord has provided us the ability to see and feel his goodness during this time of virus.  Take time, my friends.  Thank Him today, for providing you the freedoms we enjoy.  Thank Him that, although life is different for us today than it was a few months ago, that we are focusing on the beauty He has brought to our lives.  Thank Him for the life-saving resurrection and freedom of our sins that only HE could bring to us.  Happy Easter!

Risen Jesus, we thank you for the freedom you have given us by rising from the tomb.  You came to Earth for the sole purpose of saving us.  You provided for us our freedom from sin to a life in eternity with you.  May we always praise you and provide thanksgiving to you for the joys you have given to us.  During the difficult times here on Earth, we ask from you freedom from this and a newfound appreciation for the things that truly matter in our lives.  In your joyous name we pray, Amen!